Thunderbird Club

[Chucky Stiletti]

Actually, from an electrical point of view, valve is a more logical term. It describes function; using a small voltage to control a large voltage.

Vacuum tube might be descriptive of the glass envelope. But tells you nothing of function.

although intuitive, also misleading since in English a valve denotes a device that controls a flow of certain matter, be it fluids, gases or electrical current (with equal sovereignty) so this criteria fails to make the distinction between a tube, a transistor, an engine intake or exhaust valve or a water faucet since they are all "valves"..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Bassman 10, 4x10 closed.
The top of the closed part was angled down to make room for the transformers and tubes.

hmmmm, the only Bassman combos I've seen are open back....how do you replace the tubes in the one you are talking about?

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

MOS FETs are more tube-like in their operating characteristics than junction transistors. But they are more delicate electrically.

they are also slower..

 

[LetItGrowTone]

hmmmm, the only Bassman combos I've seen are open back....how do you replace the tubes in the one you are talking about?

The chassis is not *inside* the speaker compartment; the top of the speaker compartment was angled down to make room for the chassis, which can slide in and out as usual. See: FENDER BASSMAN TEN (76´) – VINTAGE MUSIC SHOP

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Opened up the amp this morning.
Fuse looks intact to me.
No scorch marks,
No swollen electrolytic caps.
No odors of smoke/burning.

I still suspect that the problem is in the power supply as it fails to power up. It could be something as stupid as a broken power switch for all I know.

time to check the AC outlet and power cord..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

The chassis is not *inside* the speaker compartment; the top of the speaker compartment was angled down to make room for the chassis, which can slide in and out as usual.

pics please, doesn't sound like the tubes and speaker share the same space..

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Just added a video!

saw, thanks. these newer combos are not the types the DSP guys were trying to emulate...there would be no point..

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Video wasn't good, sorry (don't know what was wrong with that one). Please see the photos at the link in my previous post.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Supply and demand. Very limited supply. Increased demand. Audiophile market probably not helping.

yes and typically (not always) audiophiles have more money than musicians..

 

[TBird1958]

Oh, ok. I'll talk about strings. For some reason I wasn't thrilled with SITs or Rotosounds on my BC Rich. Threw on a set of Ken Smith Rock Masters (first time trying them on anything) and they really opened up the sound like no other strings have so far. I still hate Ken Smith's longer-than-most winding length, but I'm impressed with how they sound with those Hi-A pickups. I'd still like to try the Dunlop Marcus Miller Super Brights, which I hated with my Thunderbird, but they may be fun on the BC Rich.

Also: 2x2 headstocks still screw me up.

I'm really liking Rock Masters on all my Birds except the '89 (DR Hellborg), I'm ordering 3 sets later this week - the incoming Studio will be getting a set right away, the Greco is due for some new ones and the VP will need a set when it comes out of quarantine.

 

[BklynKen]

I'm really liking Rock Masters on all my Birds except the '89 (DR Hellborg), I'm ordering 3 sets later this week - the incoming Studio will be getting a set right away, the Greco is due for some new ones and the VP will need a set when it comes out of quarantine.

Yeah, I'm pretty impressed. I would love you to try a set of the SIT Power Steel on a Thunderbird to compare to the Rock Masters.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

BIRDS!!

 

[PillO]

time to check the AC outlet and power cord..

Already did that.

Those were easy things to check without opening the case.

 

[BklynKen]

BIRDS!!
View attachment 3816266

That kid looks like a future Thunderbird player.

 

[TBird1958]

Yeah, I'm pretty impressed. I would love you to try a set of the SIT Power Steel on a Thunderbird to compare to the Rock Masters.

Do they last well? One thing I really like about Rock Masters is that they retain the clank pretty well, I have a 3 month old set on the green '76 and they're still giving me the Big Angry Piano tone - unlike Roto Sound, dead in a week.

 

[BklynKen]

Do they last well? One thing I really like about Rock Masters is that they retain the clank pretty well, I have a 3 month old set on the green '76 and they're still giving me the Big Angry Piano tone - unlike Roto Sound, dead in a week.

They do. I started noticing the tone on my Thunderbird getting kind of dead/dark, and then realized I last changed strings five months before. YMMV, of course. Jeff would likely kill them in three days.

 

[Engle]

Is "frequency response of their ears" a euphemism for listening with their wallet?

That’s a thing, but not what I meant!

I believe Chuck said you could spend big $ on high end power tubes, but not really gain any benefit because you’re running them in a guitar/bass amp with guitar/bass speakers.

My point was that many of us middle aged folks also can’t hear well enough to hear any difference.

 

[Engle]

Opened up the amp this morning.
Fuse looks intact to me.
No scorch marks,
No swollen electrolytic caps.
No odors of smoke/burning.

I still suspect that the problem is in the power supply as it fails to power up. It could be something as stupid as a broken power switch for all I know.

On an old amp that would be an easy thing to check.

 

[TBird1958]

They do. I started noticing the tone on my Thunderbird getting kind of dead/dark, and then realized I last changed strings five months before. YMMV, of course. Jeff would likely kill them in three days.

I wrecked a set of Smiths in 3 hours once, playing live, I don't have a light touch.

 

[Engle]

Even then, may not be fully available to the user...

When I used my PF350, I found I had to crank the master much more than most other amps.

I know the position of the knobs will vary and some amps max out at a lower position, but it made it seem like the PF350 was underpowered.

Mine now goes into protection mode if I try to play loud. I tried using it as a preamp, but even with no speaker connected, it still goes into protection when you crank it.... My daughter still uses it at low volumes at home.